Automobile doorlatch



Feb. 12, 1935 w mGHTMYER 1,991,120

AUTOMOBILE DOORLATCH Filed July 25 19-32 Patented Feb. 12, 1935 HoldenW. Bightmycr, T

oledo, Ohio, anignor to The American Swiss Company, Toledo, Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application July 25, 1932, serial No. 824,416

This invention relates to door latches such as used on automobile doors,and an object is to produce a new and improved door latch having thenovel features oi construction, arrangement and operation hereinafterdescribed. An important feature of this construction resides in mountingthe inside-operated retracting element on a rivet or pin which also hasguiding influence on the movement of the latch bolt so that the samerivet or pin serves a. dual purpose, and thus simplifies theconstruction and reduces the cost of manufacture.

For purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, an embodiment ofthe invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

The figure is an elevation view of a door latch and remote control unit,which is built in accordance with this invention.

Referring to the drawing, the door latch comprises a back plate having aflanged face plate 11 through which a bolt head 12 projects. The bolthead 12 is secured by rivets 13 to a bolt plate 14, which has adepressed portion 15. Between the depressed portion 15 and the backplate 10 is a bolt retracting lever 16 engageable with the depressedbolt extension 17 integral with the bolt plate portion 15. The lever 16is pivotally mounted on a headed rivet 18 carriedby the back plate 10.The rivet 18 extends through a longitudinally elongate slot 19 in theportion 15 of the bolt plate. It will be ,observed that the slot 19 isadjacent one side edge of the bolt plate, and adjacent an opposite sideedge is a spiral spring 20 having one end disposed between lugs 21 onthe back plate and the. opposite end engaging the rear portion of thebolt head 12 for urging the bolt to latching position.

Connected to the upper end portion of the lever 16 is a strap 22 whichleads to a remote control unit 23' of any suitable or desiredconstruction. In this instance the strap 22 is pivoted to an arm 24mounted on a stub shaft 25,

which is adapted toreceive a usual actuating handle. Although theinvention is shown in connection with a remote controllatch, it is to beunderstood that the invention is of broader scope, and may be applied toadvantage with the pull-to'lever type latch.

Integral with the inside operated retracting lever 16 is an extension25', which, when the lever 16 is moved .in non-bolt-retractingdirection, is adapted to block movement of an outside operated roll back26. The roll back 26 is mounted on a hub 27 for receiving an operatingspindle, and one end thereof is engageable with a flange 28 oi the boltplate for withdrawing or retracting the latch bolt from the outside ofthe door. The roll back is held in the desired position by a cover plate29 secured to the back plate 10, and for holding the roll back in boltengaging position a spring 30, having one end anchored between lugs 31on the back plate, bears against the roll back and holds it normally inthe position shown ,in theflgure.

In order to release the dogging or roll back blocking extension 25' fromblocking position when the door is slammed, a stop 32 is formed on thebolt plate 14, and a lateral extension 33 is adapted to abut against thestop 32 when the lever 16 is moved forwardly into roll back blockingposition. It is apparent that when the latch bolt is moved to the leftof the figure the stop or abutment'32 will 'move the lever 16 in a.counter clockwise direction, thus lifting the blocking extension 25" outof the way of the roll back 26. This arrangement is oi advantage in theevent that the door is accidentally locked when in open position. It ismanifest that in order to prevent operation of the outside operated rollback, it is necessary that the door be in closed position.

The manner in which the lever 16 is mounted and the bolt is guided, isof importance, since it requires the use of but a single rivet. Itprovides the pivotal'mounting for the lever 16,- and also has guidinginfluence on the movement of the latch bolt. This provides anexceptionally simple and sturdy construction which can be inexpensivelymanufactured.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction,arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from thespirit of the invention, especially as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a door latch, a tensioned latch bolt comprising a latching headand plate rigid with said head, outside-operated means for retract- .ingsaid bolt, inside-operated means for retracting said bolt, saidinside-operated means comprising a lever, a pivotal mounting for saidlever, and a lost motion connection between said mounting and said boltplate whereby said mounting also serves to guide. the movement of saidbolt.

2. In a door latch, a back plate, a latch bolt comprising a latchinghead and plate rigid with said head movable over said back plate, springmeans for urging said bolt to latching position,

' said head movable over said back plate, spring means for urging saidbolt to latching position, a roll back for retracting said bolt from theoutside, a lever disposed between said bolt and back plate forretracting the bolt from the inside,

I a headed rivet on saidback plate providing a said lever in anon-bolt-retracting direction.

pivotal mounting for said lever, and said bolt plate having alongitudinal slot engaging said rivet whereby the latter has guidinginfluence on the movement of said bolt, and an extension on said leveradapted to block movement of said roll back upon movement of said leverin a non-bolt-retracting direction.

4. In a door latch, a black plate, a latch bolt comprising a latchinghead and plate rigid with said head movable over said back plate, springmeans'for urging said bolt to latching position, a roll back forretracting said bolt from the outside, spring means for holding saidroll back inbolt-engaging position, a lever disposed between said boltand back plate for retracting the bolt from the inside, aheadedrivet onsaid back plate providing a pivotal mounting for said lever, and saidbolt plate having a longitudinal slot engaging said rivet whereby thelatter has guiding influence on the movement of said bolt, and anextension on said lever adapted to block movement of said roll back uponmovement of 5. In a door latch, a back plate, a latch bolt movable" oversaid back plate, spring means for urging said bolt to latching position,a roll back for retracting said bolt from the outside, a lever disposedbetween said bolt and back plate for retracting the bolt from theinside, a headed rivet on said back plate providing a pivotal mountingfor said lever, and said bolt having a longitudinal slot engaging saidrivet whereby the latter has guiding influence on the movement of saidbolt, an extension on said lever adapted to block movement of said rollback upon movement of said lever in a non-bolt-retracting direction, anda stop on said bolt engageable by said lever whenmoved to roll-backblocking position whereby upon retraction of said bolt said lever ismoved away from roll-back-blocking position.

6. In a door latch, a case plate, a latch bolt comprising a latchinghead and a plate rigid with said head, spring means for urging the saidbolt to latching position, a roll back for retracting said bolt from theoutside, a lever disposed between said bolt and case plate forretracting the bolt from the inside, a headed rivet on said case plateproviding a. pivotal mounting for said lever, said bolt plate having alongitudinal slot engaging said rivet whereby the latter has guidinginfluence on. the movement of said bolt, and means for blocking movementof said roll back rendered operative'upon movement of said lever in anon-bolt-retractin direction. i

7. In a door latch, a case plate, a latch bolt comprising a latchinghead and plate rigid with said head, spring means for urging said boltto latching position, means for retracting said bolt from the outside, alever for retracting said bolt from the inside, a pin on said case plateproviding a pivotal mounting for said lever, said bolt plate having alongitudinal slot engaging said pin, a head on said pin for holding saidbolt plate and lever in place, and means for blocking movement of saidoutside-retracting means rendered operative upon movement of said leverin a non-bolt retracting direction.

8. In a door latch, a case plate, a latch bolt comprising a latchinghead and plate rigid with said head, spring means for urging said boltto latching position, means for retracting said bolt from the outside, alever forblocking movement of said outside retracting means, a pin onsaid case plate providing a pivotal mounting for said lever, said boltplate having a longitudinal slot engaging said pin, a head on said pinfor holding said bolt and lever in place, and means operated from theinside -for actuating said lever.

9. In a door latchmechanism, a latch bolt, .and two independentlyoperable pivotally mounted members for retracting said bolt, one beingseparate from and movable independently of the bolt into engagement withthe other to dog the same, and movable by the bolt out of engagementwith the other so that the other will be free to retract the bolt.

10. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt, a pivotally mounted memberseparate from but adapted to alternately actuate and be actuated by saidbolt, and means for actuating the bolt including a pivotally mountedmember adapted to be rendered inoperative by the member aforesaid whenit is neither actuating or being actuated by said bolt, and adapted tobe freed of said first-mentioned member when it is either actuating orbeing actuated by said bolt.

11. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt, a pivotally mounted memberfor retracting the bolt, dogging means for said retracting meansincluding a pivotally mounted member engageable with the bolt to retractthe same, and means for releasing the doggingmeans from the retractingmeans including a projection on the bolt engageable with the secondmentioned member. I v

12. In a door latch mechanism, a latch bolt, means for-retracting thebolt, and means for dogging said retracting means including a pivotedbolt retracting member'movable by the bolt from operative doggingrelation with said retracting means to an inoperative position.

HOLDEN W. RIGHTMYER.

